Japan's first public cemetery was opened in 1874, and in the Meiji era was the main locations of foreigners' graves.

One of the cemetery's most famous graves is that of Hachikō, the faithful and dutiful dog whose statue adorns Shibuya Station.

Many of the graves are of foreign experts who came to Japan at the end of the 19th century, as part of the Meiji Government's drive for modernisation.

Although some of the graves were threatened with removal in 2005 due to unpaid annual fees, the Foreign Section was awarded special protection in 2007.

A plaque on the site recognises the men and women who contributed to Japan's modernization.